Friday, August 31, 2012

Review: Marvel Universe Series 4 #13 – Punisher

Punisher was one of the first figures in the Marvel Universe
line, and I couldn’t have been happier. From the first time I saw him, the
Punisher was one of my favorite Marvel characters. He wears black, he has a big
skull on his shirt and he has a big arsenal. If that’s not enough for you, then
you shouldn’t be reading comics. We’ve gotten a few versions already, so my
initial thought was, “do I really need another Punisher? The first one was
pretty good, right?” So, did I need it? Read the review to find out!

I think the picture on the card could have been better. It’s
not bad, I just don’t think it’s as good as it could have been. Maybe Hasbro
was hesitant to have a picture of a guy blasting guns, but c’mon, he’s the
Punisher. Yes, he’s still the Punisher… not “Marvel’s Punisher”. Thanks for
that. He’s packed with guns, his mini-comic cover shows him holding guns, so
why not go for the trifecta? Overall though, not a bad look. The mini-comic
cover features good “Acts of Vengeance” artwork (a fun series, if you haven’t
read them). Of course, that wacky MODOK is on the back taunting us. MODOK, if
you really want people to collect them all, make them easier to find!

I really dig this sculpt. The head is very well done, and
easily the best looking Frank Castle face we’ve gotten to date. He’s got
working holsters, a sheath for his knife, a decent looking belt and a mean
sneer to give him some attitude. The bad part of the figure is the overdone
paint wash. I’m not opposed to washes, but this is just too much. I think the
highlight/lowlight of the wash is on the skull logo. It’s just too much.

Given the general lack of accessories in the Marvel Universe
line, I was glad to see Hasbro didn’t cheap out on the Punisher. What’s the
Punisher without a good arsenal? He’s packing a pair of pistols, a sub-machine
gun and a small knife for backup. My knife came out pretty bendy, but since it’s
just going to sit in the sheath on his boot, no big deal. The pistols fit well
in the holsters and decently in his hands. The submachine gun works well as a
two-handed weapon. Overall, he can carry all his weapons at once, so that’s a
win for me.

Articulation-wise, the Punisher delivers well. It’s the
basic Marvel Universe articulation, and nothing costume-wise to get in the way,
which renders him mighty flexible. His arms bend well enough to hold his
submachine gun in a natural pose, which is always a plus.

So my concern was, “I already have a Punisher, do I need
another?” Well, looking at them side to side, you can really see what
improvements there have been to the Marvel Universe line over the years. The
sculpt is more detailed, the articulation has increased, and even the weapons
have improved. The bottom line is, yes, the new Punisher figure is well worth
the upgrade. Too much paint wash, but otherwise, a winner.